Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Specialist (HER Roster)

Host entity: WHO Vietnam

Volunteer type: National

Areas of expertise: Emergency preparedness, crisis response, Project management, programme development, strategy, Community development

Application deadline: 28/08/2026

Mission and objectives

The World Health Organization (WHO) was established on 7 April 1948 as the directing and coordinating authority in global public health within the United Nations system. Working at three levels in the Organization (global, regional and country), more than 7000 WHO staff worldwide collaborate with the governments of 194 Member States and other partners to achieve the WHO founding vision of the attainment of the highest possible level of health by all people.

The WHO Western Pacific Region is home to more than one quarter of the world’s population, stretching over more than one third of the distance around the globe. In all, more than 600 WHO staff work in 15 country offices and the Regional Office in Manila, Philippines, to support Member States in achieving better health outcomes for the Region’s nearly 1.9 billion people in 37 countries and areas.

WHO presence in Viet Nam
Viet Nam has been a WHO Member State since 17 May 1950. WHO was one of the first United Nations agencies to support the Vietnamese health sector directly since the end of the war and reunification of the country. WHO established a country office in Hanoi in 1977 and a sub-office in Ho Chi Minh City in 2003. More than 50 WHO staff in the country office have played a central role in supporting the people and the Government of Viet Nam to improve health. The mission of WHO in Viet Nam is to support the Government to achieve universal health coverage with all people having access to high-quality health services, within the context of the country’s needs and challenges in transitioning to middle-income status.

Priorities of the United Nations in Viet Nam

The Government of Viet Nam and the United Nations agencies, including WHO, adopted the Delivering as One principle and committed to the One United Nations initiative in Viet Nam in 2006. In July 2017, they jointly launched the One Strategic Plan 2017–2021, which identified focus areas and outcomes for the United Nations interventions in Viet Nam.

Assignment context

The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific (ROAP) has established the Humanitarian Emergency Response (HER) Roster to support speedy recruitment of qualified and motivated UN Volunteers for potential emergency response assignments. Candidates will be pre-screened based on their qualifications, experience, and suitability for the specific thematic or functional areas described in this Description of Assignment (DoA). Shortlisted candidates may remain in the UNV HER Roster for up to 6 months and be contacted should an emergency arise. Inclusion in the UNV HER Roster does not guarantee recruitment as a UN Volunteer. Selection and recruitment timelines will depend on the emergency occurrence, availability of candidates, and final approval by the UN host entity in accordance with Conditions of Service for UN Volunteers.

This UN Volunteer assignment is part of the United Nations system’s efforts to strengthen Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), emergency preparedness, and resilience-building in countries vulnerable to natural hazards, climate-related risks, and public health emergencies. The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Specialist may be assigned to support a UN agency, programme, or country office working closely with national and local authorities, humanitarian and development partners, civil society organizations, and affected communities.

The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Specialist will contribute to initiatives aimed at enhancing disaster preparedness, risk assessment, early warning systems, emergency response planning, and capacity-building for disaster risk management. The assignment may support the implementation of national and local DRR strategies aligned with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and relevant humanitarian and development priorities.

Key stakeholders may include government disaster management agencies, UN entities, humanitarian clusters, non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, community-based organizations, donners, and development partners. Expected outcomes include strengthened preparedness and response capacities, improved coordination among stakeholders, enhanced resilience of vulnerable communities, and more effective integration of disaster risk reduction into development planning.

Task description

Under the direct supervision of the Technical Officer on Disaster Risk Management, the Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Specialist will support disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, and resilience-building activities. The Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Specialist will undertake the following tasks:

• Support the collection, analysis, and reporting of information related to disaster risks, hazards, vulnerabilities, and emergency preparedness.
• Assist in the assessment of health risks associated with natural hazards, climate-related events, and public health emergencies.
• Assist in the development, implementation, and monitoring of disaster risk reduction and resilience-building initiatives.
• Contribute to preparedness activities, including contingency planning, risk assessments, simulations, and training exercises.
• Support coordination and communication with government counterparts, UN agencies, non-governmental organizations, and other partners.
• Facilitate health sector coordination through assisting WHO in organizing meetings, workshops, consultations, and capacity-building activities for stakeholders.
• Contribute to the preparation of technical documents, presentations, situation reports, briefing notes, and other project materials.
• Support monitoring, evaluation, and documentation of project activities, lessons learned, and good practices.
• Assist in awareness-raising and community engagement activities related to disaster preparedness and risk reduction.
• Perform other related tasks as required to support effective implementation of disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness activities.

Skills and experience

Minimum requirements (must have)
• At least 7 years of professional experience in disaster risk reduction, emergency preparedness, emergency management, humanitarian response, climate resilience, public health emergency management, or a related field.
• Experience supporting the planning, implementation, monitoring, or coordination of disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness activities.
• Experience conducting research, data collection, analysis, and report writing.
• Experience working with government institutions, UN agencies, NGOs, development partners, or community organizations.
• Strong organizational, communication, and stakeholder coordination skills.
• Ability to work effectively in multicultural teams and under changing operational conditions.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams).
• Excellent written and spoken English.

Desirable assets
• Experience supporting implementation of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, climate adaptation, resilience-building, or emergency response programmes.
• Knowledge of disaster risk assessment, contingency planning, early warning systems, or emergency operations.
• Experience facilitating workshops, trainings, simulations, or capacity-building activities.
• Experience with monitoring and evaluation, knowledge management, or geographic information systems (GIS).
• Previous experience with the United Nations, international organizations, government disaster management agencies, or humanitarian organizations.
• Knowledge of local languages and contexts relevant to the duty station.

Core competencies
• Professionalism and integrity.
• Planning and organizing.
• Teamwork and collaboration.
• Communication and interpersonal skills.
• Adaptability and flexibility.
• Commitment to volunteerism and humanitarian principles.

Please refer to the Context section for details on the UNV Humanitarian Emergency Response (HER) Roster. Shortlisted candidates may be included in the UNV HER Roster for up to six months and contacted should a suitable emergency response assignment arise. Inclusion in the roster does not guarantee recruitment.

Competencies and values

• Accountability
• Adaptability and flexibility
• Creativity
• Judgement and decision-making
• Planning and organising
• Professionalism
• Self-management

Living conditions

Hanoi, Viet Nam offers a comfortable and secure living environment for international staff. The city is well connected through Noi Bai International Airport and provides reliable access to housing, healthcare, banking, telecommunications, and other essential services. The cost of living is moderate, with a wide range of accommodation and dining options available. Hanoi experiences hot, humid summers and cool winters. Rich in culture and history, the city offers an enriching living and working environment, where adaptability and cultural sensitivity contribute to a rewarding assignment experience.

Entitlements of National UN Volunteer, Monthly Volunteer Living Allowance (VLA) for National UN Volunteer Expert (Short-term) in Hanoi, Viet Nam at VND 32,804,373, Insurance Coverage (Comprehensive health, life, and malicious acts insurance); For further information on the full entitlements, please refer to the following:
• You can check full entitlements at the duty station at https://app.unv.org/calculator.
• The complete UN Volunteer Conditions of Service is available at https://explore.unv.org/cos.

Full eligibility requirements, conditions of service and application instructions are available on the official UNV platform.